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By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer joladipo@communityjournals.com
i wish i could lock you all in a room together. Last week UBJ focused on one type of diversity – racial – but that’s only part of what I get to see while digging into the business of business. I can’t tell you how many days I’ve gone from an office in one industry to an office in another and thought of how much they could learn from each other. One day it’ll be how infrastructure could benefit from the user focus that’s hardwired into the Web development world. Then I’ll talk with the CFO of a growing automotive supplier who can tell me precisely what they do, for whom and why. Some of those younger Web developers could benefit from a sitdown with that sort of person. I know from experience that nonprofits could definitely learn a lot
Illustration by Ryan Kelly
I can’t tell you how many days I’ve gone from an office in one industry to an office in another and thought of how much they could learn from each other.
Jennifer Oladipo
from a stint in a newsroom where deadlines rule. After talking with Robbin Phillips at Brains on Fire for a Q & A this week, I’m even thinking about cramming everyone’s customers into the room as well. I’d like to take everyone whose focus is primarily downtown Greenville on a field trip… away from downtown Greenville. There’s more to the city and more to the Upstate than that, even with all the highly visible success. That’s a challenge I’ve put to myself as well. The more we journalists can tell the story of our community’s complexity, the better – but it seems like that could be a good practice for you, too. Who knows what kind of ideas and changes would come from a community sequestered in that big, imaginary room? Actually, forget that. You’re already in that room together, but you’re only talking to the people who came with you. I realize getting into other people’s business is a rare job perk for journalists and a few others, but anyone can take genuine interest in what somebody else has to teach. It’s not always easy to reach out, but in my opinion, it’s much more fun that way.
Clothes don’t make the man – they make the difference.
Let’s keep the conversation going. We’ve got room at upstatebusinessjournal.com, facebook.com/TheUpstateBusinessJournal, or on Twitter @UpstateBiz.
530 HAYWOOD ROAD • GREENVILLE, SC • 864.297.5610 August 30, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 3